The present invention relates to an improvement in a process for preparing phenolic resins through biocatalytic oxidation of phenols wherein the oxidation reaction is performed in an organic solvent and, more particularly, in an aqueous-organic solvent system.
Alberti and Klibanov, BIOLOGICAL DETOXICATION, Chapter 22, Peroxidase for Removal of Hazardous Aromatics from Industrial Wastewaters, (1982), discloses that phenols can be removed from wastewaters as high molecular weight polymers by the action of peroxidase enzymes. The disclosed method relies on the ability of peroxidase enzyme to catalyze, with hydrogen peroxide, the oxidation of a variety of phenols and aromatic amines. Phenolic and aromatic amine free radicals are generated, which diffuse from the active center of the enzyme into solution, and polymerize to polyaromatic products. These high molecular weight polymers are water-insoluble and can be readily separated by filtration.